Together We Tackle Littering in Open Spaces (CLMPU0002)

Commitment ID

CLMPU0002

Commitment Title

Together We Tackle Littering in Open Spaces

Problem

Maipú has a high concentration of inhabitants, which generates a large amount of waste. Indeed, Maipu has one of the highest total volumes in the country, with significant consumption of recyclable materials and packaging. In response to this, the municipality has implemented various recycling collection services, which cannot absorb the external managers' rubbish, generating an overstock that remains outside the container, causing direct impacts on the open space. On the other hand, due to the high demand for rubble and disused material removal services, the number of informal waste collectors has increased, who make a profit from this type of waste, depositing it in public spaces in the commune, in unoccupied areas, squares, pavements, etc.

On the other hand, due to the high demand for rubble and disused material removal services, the number of informal waste collectors has increased, who make a profit from this type of waste, depositing it in public spaces in the commune, in unoccupied areas, squares, pavements, etc.

In addition, the social conflicts generated by the housing crisis have led to an extensive proliferation of informal settlements in the commune, which create fly-tipping or illegal waste dumping in open spaces, mainly in peripheral sectors. This illicit dumping waste is incremented by the so-called "recyclers" from the metropolitan region who remove household goods, junk and bulky items.

Status quo

In 2021, a land register was presented considering 26 permanent illegal waste dumping in the commune. These illegal waste dumpings are detrimental to people’s quality of life and create unsafe conditions, which is why they must be eradicated. However, the capacity of landfills does not currently allow us to anticipate the generation of this illegal waste dumping, generating a long return time between the date of origin and removal of littering, increasing the volume of waste daily is disposed of in this way.

There is a lack of coordination in waste management in the commune, so it is necessary to work in a coordinated manner on waste disposal. Thus, work is required towards a common goal that allows better waste management in our commune, thus reducing the waste that reaches unsuitable sites.

Action

Update the illegal dumping cadastre. Define a methodology for identifying and quantifying illegal dumping in the commune. Programming of services to prevent waste from reaching public spaces. The programming of services seeks to organize the neighbors with actions that condition the neighbors in their behavior concerning the disposal of their waste. Participatory roundtable for the control of illegal dumping. The idea is to encourage communities to work together to eradicate and clean up illegal dumping. Participatory roundtable with private companies. A working group should be reactivated with companies in the commune so that they take responsibility for the waste that is disposed of on the land that belongs to them. Community training and awareness-raising plan on waste management. The recycling plan involves working with the community, training in recycling, and establishing recycling points to be implemented in the territory. Inspection operations will be implemented from 2023, in conjunction with the policies to prevent the formation of these illegal dumping. An app that allows residents to report illegal dumping to manage waste disposal more effectively. Maipú Regenerates its Land Programme. Delivery of 2,800 compost bins in the commune and training these people in recycling organic waste. Program for removing surpluses from street markets, working with fair traders to remove excess fruit and vegetables generated by street markets.

How will the commitment contribute to solving the public problem described above?

One of the main expected outputs is to generate a commitment from the neighbors to the different waste management mechanisms implemented by the municipality (bye-bye litter, hello clean-up, and other waste removal schemes). Generate community, coordinating neighbors in the appropriation and protecting their public space. Specifically, the project would contribute to the following:

Revive public spaces. Accessible spaces are safe spaces and create stronger Communities.
Restore dignity and give people a better quality of life.
Generate proper waste management. Even though we have legal instruments and the National Strategy for organic waste, its implementation must gradually modify the population's behavioral habits.
Paradigm shifts since well-managed waste can be a space for contribution through recycling (organic or inorganic), generating jobs, economic benefits, and a better quality of life.

What long-term goal as identified in your Open Government Strategy does this commitment relate to?

The commitment generates different instances for the community, the private sector and the municipality to work collaboratively on the problem linked to clandestine waste dumps. In this way, the project contributes to the strategic objective of strengthening citizen participation and collaboration. Furthermore, these instances, together with other measures such as creating a PPP, facilitate internal and external communication between the actors involved in the public problem, thus contributing to another strategic objective that the municipality has set for itself within the framework of the OGP.

Primary Policy Area

Other/NA

Primary Sector

Environment & Climate, Land & Spatial Planning

What OGP value is this commitment relevant to?